1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to special purpose carriers, and in a more particular sense, to carriers of the backpack type, adapted to be strapped to the back of a user, and so designed as to permit quick engagement or release of an exteriorly framed object having upper and lower cross members as components of its external frame. In particular, the object to be carried would be a smoke ejector. Typically, a smoke ejector used by firefighters is in the form of a rectangular frame, enclosing a cylindrical blower, so designed that the frame can be suspended within a doorway, window opening, or at any other selected location, for the purpose of exhausting smoke from the interior of a building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Considerable difficulty is experienced by firefighters in carrying smoke ejectors into a building, to a location at which the smoke ejector is to be used. Smoke ejectors are large, heavy, cumbersome objects. Heretofore, the practice has been for the firefighter to carry the smoke ejector in his hands, or alternatively, it has been necessary for two firefighters to carry the smoke ejector between them. Or, it may be necessary to haul the smoke ejector up to a window on a rope. Any of these procedures is clearly undesirable. They obviously require a great amount of care, to assure that the smoke ejector is not accidentally dropped with probable damage to the smoke ejector as well as potential injury to the firefighter. Further, excessive time may and usually will be required in transporting the smoke ejector in this way. Perhaps even more importantly, carrying the smoke ejector in the manner hereinabove indicated has the obvious disadvantage that the firefighters are prevented from having their hands free to move equipment, carry firefighting tools, or permit the firefighter to climb ladders.
The prior art has not, so far as is known, heretofore proposed a carrier designed for the specific purpose of carrying a smoke ejector. The primary object of the present invention is to provide such a device. In this way, it is proposed to overcome the problems discussed previously herein.
It is further proposed in overcoming the problems noted above, to at the same time permit the entire device to be quickly strapped to or disconnected from the wearer's body. It is basic, in fighting fires, that every second counts, so that it becomes important that any equipment used at the scene of a fire be designed to save all the time possible, to assure that the firefighter will perform all of his or her tasks with maximum speed and efficiency. To this end, and further in an effort to overcome the problems noted above, the device is designed to permit a smoke ejector to be clamped thereto with maximum speed and facility, responsive merely to grasping of a pair of handles, pulling them upwardly to locate movable clamps in proper position, and releasing the handles so that the smoke ejector will be instantly and securely clamped to the carrier, ready for transport to the location at which it is to be used in exhausting smoke from the building.